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Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

^They're always been the more conservative state. They were also the last state in "the Union" to abolish slavery. Brown University was actually founded on the backs of slaves. It's why many Rhodies want to get rid of the "Providence Plantations" part of the state's name.

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

Although it is unfortunate marriage equality lacked the support of the Republican Party, it is heartening to see that once again the Democrat party stood for social justice and built the momentum to see this day come to pass.

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

Opponents, meanwhile, were confident that the measure would not succeed.

“The Senate has always been a stalwart for protecting life, marriage and family in Rhode Island,” said Christopher Plante, the executive director of the National Organization for Marriage Rhode Island, the driving force behind the opposition here. “Rhode Island has bigger issues than gay marriage,” Mr. Plante said. “Our economy remains stagnant at best, in the tank at worst. We’re tied for the worst unemployment rate in the nation. There’s going to be a lot of things on the agenda between now and whenever the Senate decides to take this up.”

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

Originally Posted by JockBoy87

Of course, it depends on how ideologically pure those majorities are.

Yeah, my former congressman is considering running for Kerry's seat [Stephen Lynch and no, not the comedian] and he's anti-choice yet a Democrat. I would pick him over Harry Reid lite aka Ed Markey. I would prefer the Democrats elect a younger senator.

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

Meanwhile in the Senate at least two Republicans are expected to vote for the bill (one of which is a co-sponsor, and the other sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee), while a third is considered a likely Yes.

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

An update on the bill in Rhode Island. We rightfully bash many Republicians on here but make no mistake,just because she has a D next to her name,Teresa Paiva Weed is no ally of gay marriage and is the key reason there is no gay marriage in Rhode Island right now.

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

Originally Posted by JockBoy87

Well she is a graduate of Catholic University, there's your first clue, and probably half of the rest of the chamber are devout Catholics. What's more, the Vatican, as we all know, tends to grow very long tentacles.

Oh I know,if nothing else, I have friends in RI that made it known to me several years ago that she was just as bad as any Republician in the Bible Belt and that RI would be the last state in the Northeast to see gay marriage. And they were right.
As for the Catholic church,their stance is one of the reasons my parents left a long time ago.

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

.
The latest trend being what it is, the rapid movement to marriage equality seems to be inexorable. What is frustrating for the opposition is that they realize this fact. I would consider their efforts to stem the movement toward equality as futile as trying to mop water off the floor with a brick. I hope the Civil Rights Act of 1964 will include sexual orientation. We can only hope.

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

Originally Posted by JockBoy87

Well she is a graduate of Catholic University, there's your first clue, and probably half of the rest of the chamber are devout Catholics. What's more, the Vatican, as we all know, tends to grow very long tentacles.

Nancy Pelosi is also a Catholic and she fully supports gay marraige equality...before most others did. She has stated that her Catholic faith "Compels" her to support same sex marraige.

"My religion has, compels me--and I love it for it--to be against discrimination of any kind in our country, and I consider this a form of discrimination. I think it’s unconstitutional on top of that. "

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

Whuke all this gives hope for tomorrow, without a federal law no benefits like married heterosexuals will be given to the other partner. Such as filing a joint tax return, which at time will lower the tax paid. Survivors Social Security Benefits. I am American my partner and I live in London. We have a civil partnership and have the same rights as a married couple. Hope the States get there in my life time.

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

Originally Posted by JockBoy87

Well she is a graduate of Catholic University, there's your first clue, and probably half of the rest of the chamber are devout Catholics. What's more, the Vatican, as we all know, tends to grow very long tentacles.

Catholics support same sex marriage at a higher percentage than the population as a whole. I believe Jews are the only religious group that supports it at higher numbers than Catholics. Keep in mind that most of the states that recognize same sex marriage have large Catholic populations. Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont are all states in the top 10 for highest percentage of Catholics. http://www.statemaster.com/graph/peo...tage-catholics

New Jersey is in the top 10 and will pass same sex marriage as soon as Governor Fat Fuck is out of office.

Also, of the top 10 Catholic states, all are solidly blue states except for Arizona. Arizona will probably be a blue state once more Latino immigrants, who are largely Catholic, become citizens.

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

Originally Posted by JockBoy87

^^^ I've seen the polling on Catholics in the 50s percent, mostly because US Catholics (and Jews for that matter) live in urban areas, but this is Rhode Island, where Catholics in the Senate are conservative, which is what I meant by "devout."

Perhaps you didn't see Ninja's post:

I did see it. The vote in the RI House of Representatives voted for marriage equality by a pretty lopsided margin, and I assume most of the representatives were Catholic. There seems to be only one person in the Senate, the Senate President, who is holding up the vote. Is there any reason to believe, once the Senate does vote, that it will be any less lopsided than the vote in the House of Representatives? My point is that, just because there is a reactionary Catholic Democratic leader in the Senate, it doesn't mean that she is a reflection of Catholic sentiment in general.

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

I will gladly throw a dollar or two to help support someone else. In my neck of the woods,the LGBT community helped make sure a local congresswomen who had high marks from the Family Research Council only served one term in office.
As Jockboy said,the Senate Democrats who have been blocking gay marriage in RI ARE feeling the heat and there is no doubt they could face primary challengers if they don't allow a vote soon.

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

There is a counter bill which has no chance of passing being proposed by Frank Ciccone,another conservative Democrat who has helped block marriage equlity in RI.
I believe gay marriage will come to Rhode Island but as Jockboy mentioned,the Democratic leaders will be dragging their feet the whole time.
Sorry to sound harsh about religion but this country isn't a theocracy and every Democrat (for the most part) that has been fighting marriage equality in NY,Illinois etc seems to have as much trouble with seperation of church and state as the Republician party does.

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

Here's hoping by the end of the year RI will have marriage equality. ANd if anyone wants to get a preview of what it will be like in Bible Belt states down the line when they will be forced to address the issue of gay marriage,RI is it.

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

If you want to see bigots being forced to get dragged into the 21st century,watch the feed above. Make no mistake,all the top big wigs(whom are Democrats) do NOT want this bill to have a hearing at all but know they have no choice.

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

I'll say this..if this doesn't come up for a vote,then it is high time that primary challenges etc are looked into. In NY,a number of anti-gay Democrats who blocked gay marriage were booted out of office,the same should happen in RI.

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

I do not know if they are required to hear everyone who wants to speak, or if the chairman can cut it off at any time.

But they will have a vote when it's over.

I agree that if it fails, next year, or the year after that, it will be done all over again, and they will have to listen to the same obnoxious crap all over again, and again, until they get it right.

Heh,as we've both pointed out,the head Democrats are really no different then the Republicians in the South. If they can find a way to delay the vote this year,and the next and the next,they'll do it unless pressure is applied. And if it means voting for a primary challenger or even a Republician,if it can be done,it should.

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

I can't understand how the state that has Chicago in it can be this slow...

Because many other parts of it are very red. Even in some liberal areas,many of the pastors are against gay marriage and aren't shy about letting their represenatives know it either.

- - - Updated - - -

Originally Posted by JockBoy87

A Senate committee vote is expected after April 22, when Spring break is over. Informal whip count is that it will pass 6-4. Then Senate President Paiva Weed will hold a Senate vote shortly thereafter, according to her own comments.

Re: Rhode Island House Votes 51-19 for Marriage Equality

Originally Posted by JockBoy87

With the US Senators from the Dakotas just announcing their support, it really would look shitty on Rhode Island if they didn't. It already does being the last New England state, and one without much rural area.

But as you've pointed out in the past,many of the people blocking it are devote Catholics..and they follow the church's teachings on gay marriage to a tee.